Snack Attack

Looking to shake up your snack options this summer? Australian winery Jacob’s Creek has just the resource for you — a wine-pairing wheel focused on favorite snack foods and the wines that complement them.

The wheel matches classic Jacob’s Creek varietals with an international range of popular bar fare, pub grub and other munchies. Pizza fans get two options: Pepperoni lovers are advised to pair their pizza with the rich black currant and plum flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon; those who opt for the colorful tomato-basil-cheese combination of pizza Margherita should match it with the spicy plum and blackberry taste of Shiraz.

Potato chips go well with the winery’s Shiraz Rosé, according to the chart; crunchy salt and sour contrast nicely with the rosé’s soft strawberry tones. If popcorn is your vice, pour a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp white wine with lively passion fruit and citrus flavors.

The well-rounded melon and peach notes of Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay play nicely with a platter of pita chips and hummus, or a bowl of crunchy wasabi peas for more adventurous palates. Nachos piled high with guacamole, salsa and other goodies are a happy companion to Pinot Grigio’s fresh apple and pear flavor with a zesty lemon finish.

In a nod to its Aussie roots, Jacob’s Creek suggests fragrant Riesling for pub favorites such as sausage rolls, its sweet yet crisp lemon-line flavors balancing the savory sausage and puff pastry. If your tastes run to Scotch eggs, the winery offers a relatively new choice — Fiano, an aromatic Italian white with tropical flavors of guava, pineapple and lemongrass. You may have to wait for that pairing, though; Jacob’s Creek isn’t exporting Fiano to the United States yet.

Jacob’s Creek is South Australia’s oldest commercial vineyard, producing wines from the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and Coonawarra. The label traces its heritage to Johann Gramp, a Bavarian immigrant who missed the wines of his homeland so much that he planted a vineyard along the banks of Jacob’s Creek in 1847 and released his first wine, a Rhine-style white, in 1850.

Today, Jacob’s Creek exports wine to more than 60 countries. You’ll find several varietals in Columbia; inquire at your favorite wine shop next time you get the munchies.

In 1994, Jacob’s Creek won the O’Shea Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Wine Industry, the first time a product was honored instead of an individual.